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The Golden State Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans meet for the second time in as many days in the 2020-21 NBA when they do battle at the Smoothie King Center on Tuesday.
In the first meeting between the two teams, the New Orleans Pelicans lost 108-123 against the Golden State Warriors, with Stephen Curry exploding for 41 points and shooting 8 of 18 from the 3-point range. Curry’s mesmerizing outing seemed to put the Pelicans players in a trance, as they failed to stop the two-time MVP.
Meanwhile, Draymond Green did all the dirty work for the Golden State Warriors, recording a triple-double with 10 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists.
The New Orleans Pelicans, who could look to get revenge on the Warriors, were led by Zion Williamson, who had 32 points and eight rebounds. Despite Williamson’s heroics, the Pelicans were unable to make any headway, as Lonzo Ball shot a frigid 3 of 18 from the field and 1 of 9 from the three to finish with just seven points for the game.
Match Details
Fixture - Golden State Warriors vs New Orleans Pelicans | 2020-21 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Tuesday, May 4th; 8:00 PM ET (Wednesday, May 5th; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue - Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA.
Golden State Warriors Preview
The Golden State Warriors boosted their playoff chances by winning the first game of the season against the New Orleans Pelicans. Owning a 33-32 record on the season, they are eighth in the West, with the Memphis Grizzlies (32-32) and San Antonio Spurs (31-32) closely behind them.
Though the Golden State Warriors had a slow start to their 2020-21 campaign, they rode on Curry’s resurgence last month to get back into the playoff picture.
The three-time NBA champion had a phenomenal month in which he broke one league record after the other. In the process, the Golden State Warriors are now just 3.5 games off sixth place, which would take them directly to the playoffs and avoid the play-in tournament.
They have seven games remaining this season, including their final two games against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Key Player - Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry would have been a stronger MVP candidate had the Golden State Warriors started the season better.
Nevertheless, the seven-time All-Star sizzled during a 15-game stretch in April. For the month, he averaged 37.3 points on 51.8% shooting from the field and 46.6% from behind the arc. He is now the league’s leading scorer with a 31.3 points-per-game this season.
After schooling every defender on Monday on his way to 41 points, Curry will get another opportunity to run rings around New Orleans Pelicans guards Lonzo Ball and Eric Bledsoe on Tuesday.
The Golden State Warriors guard will be leading his team's charge, with Green and Andrew Wiggins, who had 26 points against the Pelicans, likely to be around for support.
Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Stephen Curry l Shooting Guard - Kent Bazemore l Small Forward - Andrew Wiggins l Power Forward - Draymond Green l Center - Kevon Looney.
New Orleans Pelicans Preview
The New Orleans Pelicans are playing every game with their playoff hopes on the line. After winning three of their last four games, the Pelicans were brought back down to earth by the Golden State Warriors. They have a 29-36 record on the season, with only seven games remaining in their schedule.
It will probably take a minor miracle for the New Orleans Pelicans to be the 10th seed and take part in the play-in tournament.
The most they can do now is to have a solid gameplan against every opponent, beginning with the Golden State Warriors game. More importantly, their defense has to be on point, or else they could endure another defeat.
Key Player - Brandon Ingram
Brandon Ingram had 19 points against the Golden State Warriors but took only 11 shots in a game where his team needed him to contribute more. Before the match, the New Orleans Pelicans forward scored just 14 points on 4-of-17 shooting from the field during Saturday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
If the New Orleans Pelicans are going to win a game in this back-to-back set with the Golden State Warriors, Ingram will have to play a larger role offensively. The 6' 8" forward has the talent to snap out of his mini-slump and provide support to Williamson, who has taken the lead in the Golden State Warriors' playoff push.
New Orleans Pelicans Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Lonzo Ball l Shooting Guard - Eric Bledsoe l Small Forward - Brandon Ingram l Power Forward - Zion Williamson l Center - Steven Adams.
Warriors vs Pelicans Match Prediction
Since April 10, the Golden State Warriors have been the 12th-best team in offensive rating, thanks to Curry’s sensational performances. But what many may not realize is how good they have been defensively. During this stretch, they have been the no. 1 team in defense, with a 106.4 defensive rating.
The New Orleans Pelicans have also improved defensively, as they have been fifth-best in the league, with a defensive rating of 107.6 since the 10th of last month. Unfortunately, their offensive rating dropped, and they are now in 22nd place with a 110.7 rating during this span.
On Tuesday, the unpredictable New Orleans Pelicans should be able to exact payback for their loss against the Golden State Warriors if Ingram gets into his groove. The game could still go the Warriors’ way if the New Orleans Pelicans don't keep up with Curry’s pyrotechnics, though.
Where to watch Warriors vs Pelicans?
The Golden State Warriors vs New Orleans Pelicans game will be televised locally on NBC Sports Bay Area & California and Bally Sports New Orleans. The match can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.
Also Read: 5 issues LA Lakers need to address heading into the final 8 games of the 2020-21 NBA season.
Guess the Lakers players!
